Redburn. His First Voyage by Herman Melville is a novel written in the mid-19th century that follows the adventurous journey of a young protagonist, Wellingborough Redburn. Coming from a respectable family, Redburn decides to explore the world by becoming a sailor in the merchant navy. This story captures his first voyage and the range of experiences, challenges, and the harsh realities of life at sea.
As Redburn prepares to leave his childhood home, he receives a hunting jacket and a gun from his older brother. With a romantic vision of the sea, he boards a ship bound for New York, only to encounter the hardships of urban life and the difficulties of securing a position on a vessel. Throughout the journey, he navigates the camaraderie and bonds with his fellow sailors, grappling with homesickness and confronting his own insecurities along the way.
The early chapters weave together themes of adventure and growth, illustrating Redburn’s coming-of-age story as he discovers himself amid the contrast between dreams and reality.

CHAPTER I. HOW WELLINGBOROUGH REDBURN’S TASTE FOR THE SEA WAS BORN AND BRED IN HIM
CHAPTER II. REDBURN’S DEPARTURE FROM HOME
CHAPTER III. HE ARRIVES IN TOWN
CHAPTER IV. HOW HE DISPOSED OF HIS FOWLING-PIECE
CHAPTER V. HE PURCHASES HIS SEA-WARDROBE, AND ON A DISMAL RAINY DAY PICKS UP HIS BOARD AND LODGING ALONG THE WHARVES
CHAPTER VI. HE IS INITIATED IN THE BUSINESS OF CLEANING OUT THE PIG-PEN, AND SLUSHING DOWN THE TOP-MAST
CHAPTER VII. HE GETS TO SEA AND FEELS VERY BAD
CHAPTER VIII. HE IS PUT INTO THE LARBOARD WATCH; GETS SEA-SICK; AND RELATES SOME OTHER OF HIS EXPERIENCES
CHAPTER IX. THE SAILORS BECOMING A LITTLE SOCIAL, REDBURN CONVERSES WITH THEM
CHAPTER X. HE IS VERY MUCH FRIGHTENED; THE SAILORS ABUSE HIM; AND HE BECOMES MISERABLE AND FORLORN
CHAPTER XI. HE HELPS WASH THE DECKS, AND THEN GOES TO BREAKFAST
CHAPTER XII. HE GIVES SOME ACCOUNT OF ONE OF HIS SHIPMATES CALLED JACKSON
CHAPTER XIII. HE HAS A FINE DAY AT SEA, BEGINS TO LIKE IT; BUT CHANGES HIS MIND
CHAPTER XIV. HE CONTEMPLATES MAKING A SOCIAL CALL ON THE CAPTAIN IN HIS CABIN
CHAPTER XV. THE MELANCHOLY STATE OF HIS WARDROBE
CHAPTER XVI. AT DEAD OF NIGHT HE IS SENT UP TO LOOSE THE MAIN-SKYSAIL
CHAPTER XVII. THE COOK AND STEWARD
CHAPTER XVIII. HE ENDEAVORS TO IMPROVE HIS MIND; AND TELLS OF ONE BLUNT AND HIS DREAM BOOK
CHAPTER XIX. A NARROW ESCAPE
CHAPTER XX. IN A FOG HE IS SET TO WORK AS A BELL-TOLLER, AND BEHOLDS A HERD OF OCEAN-ELEPHANTS
CHAPTER XXI. A WHALEMAN AND A MAN-OF-WAR’S-MAN
CHAPTER XXII. THE HIGHLANDER PASSES A WRECK
CHAPTER XXIII. AN UNACCOUNTABLE CABIN-PASSENGER, AND A MYSTERIOUS YOUNG LADY
CHAPTER XXIV. HE BEGINS TO HOP ABOUT IN THE RIGGING LIKE A SAINT JAGO’s MONKEY
CHAPTER XXV. QUARTER-DECK FURNITURE
CHAPTER XXVI. A SAILOR A JACK OF ALL TRADES
CHAPTER XXVII. HE GETS A PEEP AT IRELAND, AND AT LAST ARRIVES AT LIVERPOOL
CHAPTER XXVIII. HE GOES TO SUPPER AT THE SIGN OF THE BALTIMORE CLIPPER
CHAPTER XXIX. REDBURN DEFERENTIALLY DISCOURSES CONCERNING THE PROSPECTS OF SAILORS
CHAPTER XXX. REDBURN GROWS INTOLERABLY FLAT AND STUPID OVER SOME OUTLANDISH OLD GUIDE-BOOKS
CHAPTER XXXI. WITH HIS PROSY OLD GUIDE-BOOK, HE TAKES A PROSY STROLL THROUGH THE TOWN
CHAPTER XXXII. THE DOCKS
CHAPTER XXXIII. THE SALT-DROGHERS, AND GERMAN EMIGRANT SHIPS
CHAPTER XXXIV. THE IRRAWADDY
CHAPTER XXXV. GALLIOTS, COAST-OF-GUINEA-MAN, AND FLOATING CHAPEL
CHAPTER XXXVI. THE OLD CHURCH OF ST. NICHOLAS, AND THE DEAD-HOUSE
CHAPTER XXXVII. WHAT REDBURN SAW IN LAUNCELOTT’S-HEY
CHAPTER XXXVIII. THE DOCK-WALL BEGGARS
CHAPTER XXXIX. THE BOOBLE-ALLEYS OF THE TOWN
CHAPTER XL. PLACARDS, BRASS-JEWELERS, TRUCK-HORSES, AND STEAMERS
CHAPTER XLI. REDBURN ROVES ABOUT HTHER AND THITHER
CHAPTER XLII. HIS ADVENTURE WITH THE CROSS OLD GENTLEMAN
CHAPTER XLIII. HE TAKES A DELIGHTFUL RAMBLE INTO THE COUNTRY; AND MAKES THE ACQUAINTANCE OF THREE ADORABLE CHARMERS
CHAPTER XLIV. REDBURN INTRODUCES MASTER HARRY BOLTON TO THE FAVORABLE CONSIDERATION OF THE READER
CHAPTER XLV. HARRY BOLTON KIDNAPS REDBURN, AND CARRIES HIM OFF TO LONDON
CHAPTER XLVI. A MYSTERIOUS NIGHT IN LONDON
CHAPTER XLVII. HOMEWARD BOUND
CHAPTER XLVIII. A LIVING CORPSE
CHAPTER XLIX. CARLO
CHAPTER L. HARRY BOLTON AT SEA
CHAPTER LI. THE EMIGRANTS
CHAPTER LII. THE EMIGRANTS’ KITCHEN
CHAPTER LIII. THE HORATII AND CURIATII
CHAPTER LIV. SOME SUPERIOR OLD NAIL-ROD AND PIG-TAIL
CHAPTER LV. DRAWING NIGH TO THE LAST SCENE IN JACKSON’S CAREER
CHAPTER LVI. UNDER THE LEE OF THE LONG-BOAT, REDBURN AND HARRY HOLD CONFIDENTIAL COMMUNION
CHAPTER LVII. ALMOST A FAMINE
CHAPTER LVIII. THOUGH THE HIGHLANDER PUTS INTO NO HARBOR AS YET; SHE HERE AND THERE LEAVES MANY OF HER PASSENGERS BEHIND
CHAPTER LIX. THE LAST END OF JACKSON
CHAPTER LX. HOME AT LAST
CHAPTER LXI. REDBURN AND HARRY, ARM IN ARM, IN HARBOR
CHAPTER LXII. THE LAST THAT WAS EVER HEARD OF HARRY BOLTON